Hervey Bay Verbatim

USQ Creative Communities were invited to visit the USQ Fraser Coast Campus to hold a three day Verbatim Theatre intensive workshop in April 2007. The participants of this workshop included local drama teachers, students and USQ FC staff. The three day workshop was intended to act as a springboard for the participants to create, in Creative Communities abscence, a Verbatim Theatre performance. This performance was presented as part of the Fraser Coast Campus and Council Chambers celebrations.

The workshop was developed from the skills obtained through working with Sojourn Theatre Company (USA) at the Regional Arts Australia conference in Mackay in September 2006. Facilitators Carley Commens, David Burton and Sarah Peters created the workshop plan and resource kit which addressed verbatim theatre ethical clearence concerns, how to gather and analyse data and the building blocks of creating performance. 

Outcomes

The performance resulting from this initial Creative Communities project was well recieved. It dealt with the concerns and joys of Hervey Bay residents and looked at the state of the community as a desirable place to live and work.

An additional benefit from this project was the upskilling that local drama teachers gained. Jonathan Dunn, a participant of the workshop and TAFE teacher was able to use the skill set learnt through Creative Communities Hervey Bay Verbatim project to create a performance with his graduating students.